The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-01-10
SAVED BY SCIENCE.
Remarkable Surgical Feat by Gin.
cinnati surgeon.

One of the rarest and most dangerou
operations in the whole scope of surger!
has lately been performed at the Gin
cinnati Hospital. 1t consisted in re
moving about three inches of the back
bone and exposing the spinal cord. Thu
patient was young colored man abou
q years of age. When first admitted
to the hospital he was suffering from ;
terrible disease which had broken Our
over the head. neck and back in thu
form of large assesses, the chief one o
which was about the middle of tn,
back, and mad eaten away the back bon,
to a considerable extent. The poor fel
low could not lie in the recumben
posture nor on his side in consequence
of the extreme pain attending such /;
position, and was compelled to lie al
the while on his face. Slowly he hat
lost the power of motion and of sensa
ton in his legs, so that he was com
pletely paralyzed from the body down
He could neither sit nor stand, ant
could only move himself in bed will
assistance. Thus terribly afflicted, h,
bore his sufferings with Il fortitud'
worthy an older man than he, and wa
very cheerful withal. Internal treat
ment had no effect whatever, and thel
it became necessary to explore the alb
sccsses On puncturing the one on TIN
back some offensive pus escaped. ant
on introducing the finger the dead anc
decayed bone could be plainly felt
was decided that his only chance o
life lay in IN operation for the remova
of part of the backbone so rs to stol
the process of decay. The operation
and its dangers were laid before thu
young man, and in the face of it all HI
resolved to undergo the hazardous trial
as it was choice between life ant,
death. He had wasted away int
q mere skeleton, and his trembling
emacated form seemed scarcely abb
to endure such terrible ordeal.
The patient was placed on the tabl'
and given ether until he was soundlI
asleep. He was then turned on hi
face and the plucky surgeon made al
incision right down On the spine. /
large quantity of pus was revealed
and the cavity was sponged out care
fully in order 10 see just where the knit
was going. In this region where on
slip of the knife or one false NOV
would have been fatal to the patien
the surgeon with chisel and hamme
went down on the bone until he GU
out all that which was in any way af
fected, never touching the spinal cord
There lay the white shining cord at thu
bottom of the wound in all its pristin,
beauty. and not scratch married it,
surface. Tho operator smiled will
complaissance when he saw how nicel
he had accomplished his purpose with
out an evil. He had removed the
cause of the suppuration; hence the alb
scess would disappear. He had ais,
removed the cause of the paralysis
and felt assured that power would nov
return to the paralyzed legs; and
more than all, he knew time woult
accomplish the filing up of tn,
place where the bone had formerll
been. The patient reacted from thu
ether and was placed in bed on his face
In three days motion returned to tn,
legs, and he was able to move his fee
the first time in nearly year. Abou
the same time sensation began to re
turn in the limbs. In about three week.
he could bear some weight on his legs
and at this time he assumed the posi-
ton on his breast and knees which h,
has kept ever since. In this strange
posture he sleeps for hours. seemingly
rs well as the other patients about him
He at length became strong enough t.
stand, with assistance. and take ster
or two. He is now able to walk TO tn,
end of the ward and sit down in n chaii
with comfort. OF course his back is YET
weak, and probably never will regain
its former power. but he will be a use
full man. The wound has gradually
closed up. leaving only a slight scar
and causes him little or no pain. Hi
appetite has returned and he eats AZ
much as n laboring man, and is fat anC
hearty. Through it all he has retained
this irksome position and subjected
himself to the frequent examination anC
dressing OF the wound without a word.
His hardy courage and iron will are t.
be admired. and the surgeon who thu
braved death with the knife. for his fel
low. creature may feel justly proud o
! his success.